Another Reaper figure. Although at first I wasn´t very excited with the figure, I must admit that painting has improved it a lot (yet it still looks a bit small).

The woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) is a huge rhinoceros (4 m long and nearly 2 meters high) with thick hair who lived in the cold steppes of Eurasia during the Pleistocene(although it extended to the center of Spain and southern England).

Unlike other rhinos, woolly rhinoceros horns were flat and can easily reach one meter in length. Thanks to the finding of a complete female (including meat, hair and horns), we known even the fur color in life, which was dark brown with a black band along the back.

Its extinction was probably due to climatic reasons, because this animal was too dangerous to be hunted by neanderthals.

This fantastic Reaper miniature could represent any of the bears present during the Ice Age, as it´s not historically accurate: the well-known cave bear (Ursus spelaelus) and the not so known, but even larger, the short-faced bear (Arctodus simus).

The cave bear could reach almost 3 m tall and over 600 kg, being very similar in size to the current kodyak or polar bears. Inhabited the forests of Europe, where they had to compete with other predators (cave lions and neanderthals) for the caves they used as shelter during the winter. Despite being an omnivore, remains found evidence that their diet was mainly herbivorous.

The short-faced bear was the largest terrestrial carnivore of its time, reaching 3.5 m in height erected and up to 750 kg in weight. Native of North America, unlike the cave bear, frequented the plains and his diet was mostly based on meat. Some theories say he was an active predator, while others consider it a kleptoparasite that used his strength and size advantage to steal preys from other predators smaller than he (smilodon, cave lion, etc.).

Painting animals is one of my favorites, I do not know why ... perhaps because the result has to be natural and realistic or just that, since childhood, I've always loved animals.

With the cavemen project just initiated, I started thinking about all the figures of prehistoric animals that I needed wish to buy, but it´s not a good time to spending and it turns out that I had a lot of figures still unpainted (recycled projects, fine!). Here you have some pics comparing the models with Copplestone cavemen.

This time we have two different manufacturers for the smilodon. Reaper´s "Sabertooth" (left) seems a very accurate figure, perhaps a little big, but it sure is nice to paint. The other two are from Pulp Figures and they are ... ugly (besides incompatible with Reaper). These two Pulp Figures models are liable to end converted into cave lions. The problem is that the smilodons were (probably) gregarious animals, so I need more figures, and the other Reaper model is not compatible and too big (and also very ugly). I have to find another model or get another "Sabertooth" an convert it in order to have different models...

As you can see, most of my figures are Reaper models, and this is so for two reasons: affordable price and easy to find in stores (even here in Spain). There are other interesting manufacturers that make prehistoric animals. My favorite is Acheson Creations, but their high shipping costs to Spain (50% of total) make it sadly impossible to afford. My second choice is North Star Miniatures, with which I hope to write soon the second part of this post. ;-)

Some pictures of my cavemen. I painted themlooooong timeagoso I'm afraidI'll have torepaint them because:a) the ones I paint from now on won´tl stay the same.b) the tattoos are too colorfull, I want something more natural (black color, orange...)c) Ill try to put hair ón them (like this)

Shame on me... I was about to resume the pending projects (gladiators, I swear!) when a new idea has crossed my path: Tusk. Again I deviate from the path ... I can only say one thing: Slorm is totally to blame!

The game represents cavemen groups hunting mammoths (mammoths that I don´t have), but it´s adaptable and I do have a few cavemen. For my first scenario I will use a small group of three hunters and Og, the young enthusiast.

Turn 2: the cavemen get 6 activation points. The young Og, enraged by the death of his companion, unconsciously jumps on the beast's neck and begins to stab his hard head with his stone knife, finally achieving to plunge it in one eye. The Carnotaurus wound is fulminating and he falls dead, to the amazement of the other two hunters.

Well, this was the improvised first game of Tusk, the rules are so easy/simple that you only have to look at the reaction table. It was a very quick game, due to the shortage of models I have and the simplicity of the scenario. Be very careful with Og, a character who once locked into close combat, has a 50% chance of killing or dying... :-)

I hope to add more figures soon (fire beares, dogs, etc..) and post some other scenarios... or start a campaign! ;-)